1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to machines for size reduction of meat portions and in particular to machines for cutting slabs of frozen meat into cube-like pieces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German Patent No. 27 19 891 discloses a prior art type of machine, and this disclosure is included herewith by reference. A main frame supports a horizontal cutter shaft rotated by an electric motor. The shaft carries slitting discs and knife discs. A conveyor pushes slabs of frozen meat against the cutter shaft, and at first, the slab is sliced into strips by the slitting discs. With further approach, the strips produced by the slitting discs are cut off into cubes by the cutting edges of the knife discs.
The prior art machine referred to above is not entirely satisfactory. The cubes produced do not have cleanly cut edges, and the proportion of the finely divided particles is considerable. Moreover, if the slabs to be cut are extremely hard because of having been deep frozen, there is a risk of fracture of the slitting discs. In this regard, the slitting discs have a substantially circular contour from which hook shaped blades protrude. The blades are subjected to great physical loads upon impact with and penetration into the meat.